By Brennan Stebbins (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Rogersville came into Friday’s Class 4 quarterfinal riding a 12-game win streak – all by double digits – and averaging close to 60 points per contest this season.
But at halftime in Bolivar, the Wildcats found themselves trailing Father Tolton after scoring just seven points in the first 16 minutes.
They made some noise in the fourth quarter but ultimately couldn’t muster the offense to complete a comeback and suffered a 51-35 loss that ends their season with a 26-4 record.
“They had a lot to do with us not making baskets,” head coach John Schaefer said. “They went 6-9 around the rim and 6-6, 6-7 around the basket. Hats off to them, their defense was tough and they did what they needed to do. We didn’t make open shots we had to have, we missed some free throws. I just felt we started slow and in a game like this you can’t.
“The really frustrating thing is you hold a really good team to 19 at half and you’re down double digits,” he said. “That’s the tough part about it.”
The Wildcats scored the first two baskets of the game but then didn’t score again in the first quarter and only added a 3-pointer by junior Thessen Prenger in the second.
They trailed 19-7 at the break against a Trail Blazers team that entered Friday averaging 59 a game and was last year’s Class 4 runner up.
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Schaefer told his players that what the Blazers did in the first half was the same thing the Wildcats have done to everybody else this season.
“With our length and physicality and size, we’ve been able to keep people out of the lane and from scoring around the basket for the most in our league,” he said. “I told them they’re doing to you what you’ve done to people all year and you’re not reacting. Second half we made some adjustments and tried to crawl back into it but when you’re down to a really good basketball team in a state quarterfinal, it’s hard to get back.”
The Wildcats matched their scoring total from the first half in less than three minutes to open the third quarter but couldn’t get closer than 10 until the fourth.
It was 34-22 with 3:18 left in the game. Rogersville senior Brody McNiel hit a 3-pointer to make it 11, and then Prenger hit another 3-pointer to make it 36-28 with 2:46 on the clock.
A 3-pointer by senior Curry Sutherland made it 38-31 with 1:53 remaining, but Father Tolton made 13 free throws in the final 1:50 to keep its lead. The Trail Blazers made 17 of 19 from the line in the fourth quarter alone, and 22 of 26 in the game.
Rogersville was led by 11 points from McNiel and nine from Sutherland.
“We’re super happy and stoked about what we’ve done,” Schaefer said. “That’s the only Class 4 team we’ve lost to all year. Super proud of these guys.”
The Trail Blazers, now 21-9, will face Vashon Friday in the semifinals in Springfield.
